Despite what the cynics say, you don’t need animals or animal products to grow a successful garden.
None of the nutrients required for soil fertility originate in animals. The nutrients that are found in animal manure come from plants, or plant based feeds that animals have ingested. In other words, the key to soil fertility is plants.
Although the notion of growing food crops without the use of animal manure is unfamiliar, history shows that well before we had domestic animals on the scale there is today, farmers relied largely on green manures and other plant based techniques to create thriving gardens.
What Is Veganic Gardening?
Veganic gardening avoids the use of animal manures and remains, as well as toxic chemicals and sprays. It is a sustainable approach to growing food that is done without causing intentional harm to animals.
Unlike conventional farming methods which use animal products such as the aforementioned manure, as well as bone meal, blood, slaughterhouse sludge, feather meal, and fish emulsion, all of which can carry dangerous diseases and antibiotic residues, veganic gardening is kinder to the environment and an all-round safer and healthier way to grow our food.
Veganic gardening also uses plant based techniques to promote soil fertility. Whether through the use of vegetable compost, green manures, crop rotation, mulching, chipped branch wood, liquid feeds, wood ash or even seaweed, none of the practices used depend upon the exploitation of animals.
This kinder way of gardening is much more sustainable. Some reasons for this include:
- land can be used more efficiently
- it reduces dependency on fossil fuels
- there’s no need for toxic chemicals
- it doesn’t deplete the soil like conventional farming methods
- it is a holistic approach that works with the environment
- it encourages wildlife and can restore biodiversity
- it creates natural habitats
- it promotes long-term soil fertility
5 Examples of Thriving Veganic Garden That Don‘t Use Animal Products
As proof that veganic gardening on a large scale really works, here are 5 examples that demonstrate that this style of farming is the future:
Proudly growing the veganic way since 2000, Shangri-La gives harvest to an abundance of fruits and vegetables throughout the year with the help of all those that volunteers at the Gentle World’s New Zealand-based Vegan Educational Center. From bok choy and spinach to sweet corn, potatoes and watermelon, their dedicated team has transformed a magnificent piece of countryside into an international site for learning about the hows and whys of vegan living.
The Tree of Life Center
The Tree of Life gardens encompasses three acres in Patagonia, AZ. Using sustainable veganic gardening methods, the gardens provide the onsite cafe with year round harvests of veggies and greens, and the staff with round the clock self serve juicing.
The Good Life Center
Open to visitors from June through to October, the Good Life Center and Forest Farm encourages and supports individual and collective efforts to live sustainably. Guided by the principles of kindness, respect and compassion for both natural and human communities, their gardens and greenhouses continue to prosper and act as a valuable resource for homesteaders, gardeners, activists and students of simpler living.
With 17 acres in two fields and 2 acres in a 500 year old walled garden, Tolhurst is one of the longest running organic vegetable farms in England. The farm has had no grazing animals and no animal inputs to any part for the last 10 years. They strive to provide soul food for families with an emphasis on education and conservation.
Huguenot Street Farm
Boasting over 125 varieties of naturally grown vegetables, cut flowers and fruits, all veganically grown on 77 acres of fertile crop land, forest and wetlands, Huguenot Street Farm provides amazing food at below supermarket prices. By cutting out the middle man, who in this case is the cow, chicken, pig, or horse, they go straight to the source (plants!) for their nutrients and soil fertilizers.
What do you think of veganic gardening? Is it something you‘d like to try? Let us know in the comments!
Photo Credit: PHOTO/arts Magazine